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Russian mothers, mud season, urban warfare. These are among the threats limiting Putin's ability to agress in Ukraine. Bill Courtney, expert on Central Asia, weighs both Putin's and Ukraine's options and risks in the increasingly dicey situation in Ukraine today. What are Putin's fears and what are some of his tools?
Agnes Schneider, would-be opera singer, saver of lives, confiscator of passports. She was a living expression of an incredible period of history, from World War I to the Cold War. Savior or villain, or both? Lindsay Henderson, consular history expert, shares. See also her
Working your way up to an ambasssadorship is such a slog, if you can just buy the honorific instead. Ambassador Dennis Jett, author of a recent article by the same name as this episode, illuminates. Bonus question: Which embassy is the most expensive to buy? See also Jett's newly revised book, American Ambassadors:...
Dick Hoagland, Central Asia expert, is back to help us understand recent violence in Kazakhstan. Was the populace upset about rising fuel prices, or was there an internecine power struggle? Or both? What is the US interest in this ambiguous and evolving situation?
Bernie Aronson, who led the US effort to end wars in El Salvador and Colombia, shares insight on resolving the most intense geopolitical conflicts: "You should never forget that they are human beings and they can be moved as human beings."
Are we talking about Chile or the US, or any of a number of other countries worldwide? Deb Derrick recounts recent unrest in Santiago, and we ask ourselves, how similar to this are events in our own country? Today we are forced to remember the events of last year on this day, January 6, 2021. Do we care enough about...
Ambassador Dick Hoagland, having served many years in Russia and former Soviet republics, has had ample opportunity to consider the high-stakes drinking game of vodka diplomacy. Bottoms up and happy New Year!
Jeffrey Franca, drummer for DC's world music icon Thievery Corporation - the band that generously allows us to use its music to open our show each week - brings us on the journey he took to become a musician. He shares with us the value of unity, love and positivity in his work, which is influenced by musical styles...
General Ben Freakley, in charge of the eastern region of Afghanistan during the war, urges us to remain focused and do the right thing for those who remain in danger in Afghanistan. He calls for a whole of government approach and implores the American people: It's our time to serve.
Ambassador Dan Foote departed the State Department over a crisis of conscience relating to recent events in Haiti. Why, and what actually happened from his perspective?
The Zambian government has no love for its country's LGBTQ community. When repressions go simply too far to ignore any longer Ambassador Dan Foote speaks up, and for political reasons on both continents is forced to return home. Any regrets? Of course not. LGBTQ rights are human rights and everyone on earth deserves...
We're back with some of Pete's jokes (Laura laughed, we promise) and our annual show featuring stories of Thanksgiving overseas. Enjoy! Stay well! ~Pete & Laura
An eye for an eye and pretty soon everyone is blind, said Mahatma Gandhi, now quoted by Ambassador Tibor Nagy who is as expert as he is compassionate in his discussion of the current conflict in Ethiopia. Are we witnessing a genocide, presided over by Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy? Does it matter? Why did Abiy receive...
Dave Harden, formerly of USAID, compares service within AID to the mainstream Foreign Service (where is most of the money and the leadership opportunity, for example?), and connects the economic dimension of international development to American domestic politics. Harden is running for Congress, using his development...
Inclusive, powerful leadership. Colin Powell not only engaged Americans of every level on his team, but also eased the worries of potential adversaries. Powell led with insight into human needs for respect and belonging.
Humility, respect, sense of humor, honor, but above all, empathy. Colin Powell is remembered by many who loved him. Tune in for stories of the man he was.
Ted Osius retired from his post as US Ambassador to Vietnam when asked to implement covertly-devised deportation policies he found morally repugnant and un-American. Hear about his crisis of conscience and also of the heroic service of senators John McCain and John Kerry, Vietnam vets who did the right thing at...
It's 1990, and Ian Brownlee, out walking his dog, meets a man whose visa application he had refused just that very morning. The man is about to swim across the river to his probable death, so Ian advises him of a much safer spot to cross, about 200 yards thataway. These are the old days of immigration. When and how...
But what of the rest of her countrywomen? Here's a quick midweek update with our Afghan friend Toobah, in her words. Enjoy!
Never, ever allow free and fair elections is Fidel's advice to Daniel Ortega, today's strongman leader of Nicaragua. Bob Callahan describes today's authoritarian regime in this Central American nation.